Report: Pittsburgh Steelers Won't Be Featured On HBO's 'Hard Knocks'
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – Reports say that HBO's annual television show, "Hard Knocks", will not feature the Pittsburgh Steelers this summer.
The Steelers are one of five NFL teams that would have been required to be on the show this summer if NFL Films requested, but it looks like they are going in a different direction.
No official announcement has been made yet, but it seems the show is going to feature two teams this summer, the Los Angeles Rams and the Los Angeles Chargers.
This is all dependent on the NFL actually holding training camps this summer amid the coronavirus pandemic. One source said, "[it would] be special to figure out the creative for a 'supersized' series this summer."
The Steelers have never been featured on the show since its inception in 2001, and for the first time in years, they fit the criteria to be forced onto the show unless another team volunteers to participate.
The criteria to avoid being on the show includes having a new head coach, reaching the playoffs within the last two years, or having previously appeared on the show within the last ten years.
The other teams that also fit the criteria this season include the Jacksonville Jaguars, Detroit Lions, Denver Broncos and Arizona Cardinals.
